Is This an Opportunity Waiting To Be Wasted?

Pennsylvania’s newly elected Gov. Josh Shapiro is a Democrat. The state House is controlled by Democrats and Republicans hold the majority in the Senate. Sounds like a formula for some real head knocking and little progress when it comes to addressing this important issue.

Pennsylvania spent $7.6 billion on basic education last year. Most of it was allocated based on a formula that uses enrollment numbers from the early 1990s, SpotlightPA reported. This approach guarantees districts won’t lose funding even if enrollment declines.

A new formula approved in 2016 considers factors like how many students are learning English or experiencing poverty when doling out cash. But only new funding is spent through this formula – about 20 percent of the total amount at this time.

Also, since 2021 the state has sent additional dollars to the 100 poorest school districts through a program envisioned to provide extra funding for districts most in need.

The SpotlightPA story noted that “It’s true that, over the past decade, Pennsylvania has increased basic education funding by billions of dollars. But little of that new money is being targeted at districts with growing enrollment that need it the most.”

The judge ruled all this isn’t enough and offered no specific ideas to fix the problem. So, how much is all this going to cost, and where will the money come from?

Donna Cooper, a former top policy advisor to Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell, who now advocates for increased education funding, said at least $3 billion in new spending will be needed to meet the court’s order. She said there are at least 100 districts spread across the state that the judge’s decision would label as unconstitutionally underfunded.

Cooper said the commonwealth is likely to need new sources of revenue, possibly including closing tax loopholes, increasing the personal income tax (which is now among the lowest in the country), or taxing natural gas drillers per the amount of gas they extract rather than per wells drilled, SpotlightPA reported.

You can read the SpotlightPA story here.

Cooper asks the biggest question of all: Is there the political will to do what needs to be done? I guess we’re going to find out.

For now, let’s look at the opportunity to lead in the all-important area of educating our children that this ruling has dropped right in my state’s lap.

U.S. News and World Report ranked Pennsylvania 37^th among all the states in education in 2021. As a lifelong resident here, I can tell you that’s not good enough. We know government often moves at a snail’s pace, and that a lot of politicians – particularly Republicans – are loath to spend money for the greater good.

Now, Jubelirer is forcing them to take action. Real action, not the idiotic GOP love affair with school vouchers. My state’s poorer districts need more help. No abstract talking points. Fix it. Period.

Sadly, I have little faith in any process in which Republicans have any say-so in its outcome. It’s not that I don’t see the value of a two-party system in crafting legislature. It’s just that the GOP’s pro-rich, anti-poor-and-middle-class agenda has too many times put roadblocks in front of good ideas that would benefit millions of people, all to keep taxes lower for the rich and corporations.

And too many of the GOP members of my state’s House and Senate have wandered too far down the MAGA trail to be worth a damn, anyway.

Under great leadership, this could result in a fairer, more progressive tax code, innovative programs, thinking outside the box, and, most importantly, a more level playing field for the children of my state.

Am I optimistic this will happen? Not really. But if officials in my state fail then they will at least provide one service:

Showing the rest of the nation the damage that can come when you elect stupid, incompetent, and short-sighted individuals to public office.

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